Increasing numbers of Russians, dismayed by reports of secret burials and soldiers sent to fight and die with no identification or means of communication, are calling for answers. CCTV’s Tom Barton reports.

Kremlin denies claims of Russian troops in Ukraine

Increasing numbers of Russians, dismayed by reports of secret burials and soldiers sent to fight and die with no identification or means of communication, are calling for answers. CCTV’s Tom Barton reports.

For 26 Valentina Melnikova and Russia’s Committee of Soldiers’ mothers have been working to protect the rights of Russian soldiers.

Their latest campaign is in response to what they say is the Kremlin is lying to its own people about Russian soldiers being sent to fight Ukraine’s army, inside Ukraine.

Friends and relatives of soldiers are demanding explanations about what their loved ones have told them in final phone calls before contact with them were cut.

They also want details about allegations of of secret funerals which rippled out over the internet.

One Russian politician was badly beaten after publicizing claims about the deaths of some of the soldiers, and when journalist Ilya Vasyunin went to investigate along with other reporters, they say they were threatened by unidentified individuals.

For more on the crisis, Associate Director of the Friends Committee on National Legislation Michael Shank joined CCTV America.